Your Home
Your home is a place of comfort, community and hospitality. If your desire is to develop a memorable online presence, your “blog home” is essential. In the same way that developing your personal home style takes time and effort, the same is true for your blog. One thing I recommend to clients, based on personal experience, is to spend a good bit of time thinking this through. I have mentioned before how I have gotten wild-hair ideas about things that I wanted to talk about, and how I have abandoned not one, but two personal blogs. I am learning, and the next go round will be more strategic. So don’t feel like you have to do this all in one day, take some time and plan.
While you need to spend some time on social media spaces (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, etc.), your blog is where you and your content lives. It is your space. A place where you invite others in for a cup of coffee (or in my case some sweet tea) and conversation. As you are developing your personal brand, spend some time making sure the space fits you well. In future posts I will be talking about very specific ways to do this.
If you are developing a personal brand, having your own domain is essential. Using a WordPress.com or blogger site to get started blogging is fine, but if you are thinking about personal branding, it’s time to take it up a notch. Find a domain name that fits you and your brand. Later on in this series I will be giving more specific ways things to think about concerning this. It is important. Stay tuned.
After you have your domain, you need to think about design. The design of your blog needs to fit your personal style, but it also need to have a layout that is functional. Spend some time looking at other blogs and at some templates. Make note of what elements you like and want to incorporate into your blog. You may have to spend a little more money here if you want something that is truly unique, or you can go with an off the shelf theme if you are looking for something clean and simple. Functionally, either option will work and it just depends on how personal you want the space to look.
Developing a blog that is a reflection of who you are and what you want to say is important. Sometimes it can also be overwhelming. Just like those times you have to hire an interior designer or professional organizer, sometimes you need to hire a professional social media consultant to get you strategically started. At Rocky Mountain Media Group, we love bloggers. You have made the web interesting and personal. What you have to say is important. We would love to assist you on your journey to developing a meaningful and memorable space on the web that is your home.
If you are currently blogging, leave a comment and a link to your “home” below.
Thanks for the info! I’ve been publishing our company blog for close to two years now. http://blog.garverusa.com/
I really like this line, “a place of comfort, community and hospitality.” Many people think of blogs as purely as sales tools. While marketing is the point of having one as a business, that doesn’t mean they have to be cold, boring or lifeless like a paper brochure. In fact, that’s about the last thing you’d want. Blogs are places to let your personality shine through and really greet your prospects & customers just like you would if you are at the front door/desk of your business. Great advice!
P.S. I blog over at http://www.cherylpickett.com
Thanks Cheryl- Great point. Blogs should not be viewed as “sales tools” that makes them feel icky– although they can help your sales
. At RM2G we are always going to recommend that bloggers strategically build relationships rather than push product or service. Also thanks for the personal message! You are awesome.